Proposal Guidelines Phase 1 – Research Interest Group March 17, 2008
Purpose Phase 1 internal grants are one-year grants designed to provide a Research Interest Group (RIG) the opportunity to establish the efficacy of new collaborative research opportunities and to establish their potential to become signature areas of research for the School of Information Sciences within five (5) years. It is anticipated that 2-4 phase 1 grants will be awarded each year. A RIG is not obligated to request phase 1 funding; each RIG will receive a base level of funding regardless of the success of a phase 1 proposal. Furthermore, it is also not necessary that the phase 1 project be the only activity of the RIG. Source Phase 1 RIG grants are co-funded by the Dean’s Research Development Fund (RDF) and matched by the Provost. They are not expected to exceed $25,000. Uses The proposal should address the intended uses of grant funds and provide a budget. Anticipated uses include participation in conferences, meeting with potential research sponsors, establishing a network of collaborators, and hiring students to conduct supporting assistance, such as literature searches. Outcomes A successful phase 1 grant will produce a report documenting the findings and providing a phase 2 recommendation. Phase 1 findings may establish the viability of the research direction and the competitiveness of the team, or may determine that further pursuit of the area is not recommended. A recommendation to proceed should be accompanied by a phase 2 proposal. Phase 2 grants are intended to provide seed funding to the research program, leading to self-sustainability within two subsequent years and to demonstrate signature potential within two years thereafter. Phase 2 grants are not expected to exceed $50,000 per year, for a period not to exceed two years. As with phase 1, these grants are co-funded between the Dean’s RDF and the Provost’s office. Phase 1 Proposals Phase 1 proposals are due by May 31, 2008, in the Dean’s office. Information included in the proposal should include:
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Title of interest group Leader (PI) Members of interest group Description of area of interest (no more than one page) Justification (no more than one page) a. Why is this a potential signature area? b. Why do you believe this area holds particular promise? c. How is this RIG competitive in it? 6. Plan of action and schedule – what does the RIG plan to do in phase 1? 7. Budget – what funding is the RIG requesting and for what purposes? 8. Assessment – identify the criteria you will use to define success in phase 1. Phase 2 Proposals Phase 2 proposals for continuing RIGs will be due no later than May 31, 2008.